The present disclosure relates generally to a method and system for filming a subject to be projected as a Pepper's Ghost image and, in particular, but not exclusively, a method of lighting a subject, in particular a person, being filmed for projection as a Pepper's ghost image in a Pepper's Ghost system, for example the Pepper's Ghost system as described in WO2007052005.
Conventionally, the lighting arrangement for filming of a person, particularly for an interview or presentation, is based on the three point lighting method. In such a method, the person being filmed is lit by a key light, which shines directly upon the front of the subject and serves as the principal illuminator, a fill light, which also shines on the front of the subject and balances the key light by illuminating shaded surfaces to reduce chiaroscuro effects and a back light, which illuminates the subject from behind to create a rim of light around the subject that separates the subject from the background. Typically, the key light and fill light are placed at 45 degrees to the line from the camera to the subject (and at 90 degrees to each other), the fill light being approximately half the brightness of the key light. A total brightness of the back light is significantly less that a total brightness of the front lighting provided by the key and fill lights.
It has been found that the use of such lighting arrangements for the filming of subjects to be projected as a Pepper's Ghost image results in a Pepper's Ghost image that looks flat or “cut-out”, detracting from an impression of realism created by the Pepper's Ghost image.
Furthermore, to avoid the appearance of a translucent Pepper's Ghost image it is necessary to light the subject of the Pepper's Ghost image very brightly. However, the use of very bright lights to light the subject can result in subtle shadows on the subject that add to the realism of the Pepper's Ghost image being lost.
Traditionally, film lighting has been provided by incandescent lamps such as tungsten lamps. Such lamps can consume significant electrical power and generate excessive heat and as such are not particularly well suited to studio environments, especially in smaller/mobile studio environments.